Artificial Intelligence (AI) systems have the potential to replicate and even intensify existing social inequalities, particularly those related to gender. As AI technologies become ubiquituous, it is essential that developers are equipped to consider their ethical and societal implications. This study examines how ethics and gender equality are addressed in AI education within higher education institutions in Portugal. Through a qualitative, multi-phase methodology—including a desk-based review, an online questionnaire, and interviews—it investigates whether, where, and how these themes are integrated into AI-related university curricula, and how academic programs prepare future professrionals to critically engage with these crucial issues. It analyzes the pedagogical approaches employed and the contents addressed, while also identifying institutional initiatives aimed at promoting ethical and gender-sensitive AI education. Preliminary findings reveal that only 24% of AI-related programs explicitly incorporate a gender perspective, often indirectly through broader concepts such as fairness, bias, or justice. Explicit references to gender are scarce and typically limited to recommended bibliographies. Furthermore, these topics appear more prominently at the undergraduate level, with a marked absence in the doctoral programs analyzed. These findings highlight critical gaps in AI education and the pressing need for more systematic integration of ethics and gender perspectives. By analysing how these topics are addressed in AI education in Portugal, this study contributes to the ongoing dialogue about ethical AI development. It calls for a comprehensive, forward-thinking approach that equips students not only with technical skills but also with the capacity to navigate the broader societal impact of the technologies they create.